Game thread: Twins at Cards. 7:15 PM CDT

[gunnarthor]

1 minute ago, Mike Sixel said:

NL rules.....almost necessitated it.....

Oh, right. Duh.

I'm never going to get used to NL rules ...

[RickOShea]

1 minute ago, Steve71 said:

Duffy has been downright bad this year.  What the heck happened?  Did the league just catch up to him?  Is he hurt?

I said earlier in the year it's the 'Brian Duensig syndrome".   Everytime you look like your going to be sent down you have a decent (one more time) performance.  It's amazing how long you can stick around and stink.

[ashbury]

3 minutes ago, Steve71 said:

Duffy has been downright bad this year.  What the heck happened?  Did the league just catch up to him?  Is he hurt?

He's basically a two-pitch pitcher. When he has both working, he can keep the batter off balance.  When he can't locate one (usually the curve), the batter can sit on the other and feast. Tyler goes through phases where he loses his command for long periods of time IMO. Two or three years ago I despaired of him while watching him have no success against AAA opposition. Then, for whatever reason, he found himself, and was pretty serviceable and nearly reliable. This year, he's kind of back to his old inconsistency.

[RickOShea]

Just now, RickOShea said:

I said earlier in the year it's the 'Brian Duensig syndrome".   Everytime you look like your going to be sent down you have a decent (one more time) performance.  It's amazing how long you can stick around and stink.

I had a boss once said, 'you gotta give each employee enough rope to do their thing and learn.  Just don't give them enough rope, to hang themselves'.

[RpR]

3 minutes ago, Mike Sixel said:

NL rules.....almost necessitated it.....

Why so Kepler can stand there watch a third strike; at least Jax hit the ball.

[ashbury]

2 minutes ago, RickOShea said:

I had a boss once said, 'you gotta give each employee enough rope to do their thing and learn.  Just don't give them enough rope, to hang themselves'.

Related to what I once heard termed the "Texas method": Sink or swim, but don't let 'em sink.

[RickOShea]

2 minutes ago, RpR said:

Why so Kepler can stand there watch a third strike; at least Jax hit the ball.

Keppler's job is to swing the bat, Jax's job is to hold the bat.

2 minutes ago, RpR said:

Why so Kepler can stand there watch a third strike; at least Jax hit the ball.

 

[h2oface]

Checked in just in time to see the grizzled old vet, Duffey, carrying the torch for Robles/Shoemaker/Happ. Well done. Helps one not miss them.....

[Mike Sixel]

Duffey is baffling...he has stuff....but his results are not so good this year.

[RpR]

Why was Jax pulled.

 

[ashbury]

1 minute ago, RpR said:

Why was Jax pulled.

He batted twice, same as the other team's pitcher. NL games tend to pinch-hit a lot.

[Danchat]

1 minute ago, RpR said:

Why was Jax pulled.

 

Probably because there's little trust in a rookie with a 7.00+ ERA going in the 3rd time through the lineup. Rocco is pretty much screwed whether he asks more from his mediocre starters or asks for the bullpen to cover a close game. 

[Mike Sixel]

4 minutes ago, RpR said:

Why was Jax pulled.

 

because there were men on base, and there is no DH ..... that's the excitement of NL ball.....every single manager does that there.

[RpR]

Makes sense to a degree; back before the AL had the stupid designated hitter bs, they used to do similar things but usually not when the pitcher was doing well.

But some pitchers were not bad with the bat either.

[MMMordabito]

I want to see Rortvedt vs. O'Neill in the octogon!

[h2oface]

1, 5 and 8 hitters, Polanco, Astudillo and Simmons, 3 hits each....... 2.3.4 hitters, Rooker, Garver, Larnach..... 0-12. 6 and 7 hitters, Sano and Gordon, 0-6 with Sano's two walks, and 9 hole, Jax, Kepler, and Cave, 0-4. 

Holes. When hits don't result in runs.

[Irishman]

22 minutes ago, RpR said:

Why was Jax pulled.

 

Because Baldelli wanted to help reduce Jax’s ERA.    He has no clue about coaching strategy.    

[Irishman]

1 minute ago, h2oface said:

1, 5 and 8 hitters, Polanco, Astudillo and Simmons, 3 hits each....... 2.3.4 hitters, Rooker, Garver, Larnach..... 0-12. 6 and 7 hitters, Sano and Gordon, 0-6 with Sano's two walks, and 9 hole, Jax, Kepler, and Cave, 0-4. 

Holes. When hits don't result in runs.

That figures!    TC means Twins can’t win!

[Mike Sixel]

4 minutes ago, Irishman said:

Because Baldelli wanted to help reduce Jax’s ERA.    He has no clue about coaching strategy.    

It was an NL game, with runners on base after the 5th....that's what happens in NL games. 100% of the time, unless there is an ACE on the mound. 

[sampleSizeOfOne]

2 hours ago, ashbury said:

Wait, Griffin Jax just batted, in place of the DH? What kind of stupid minor-league nonsense is this? What next, ghost runners on second base in extra innings? Seven-inning doubleheader games?

Dogs and cats living together.

 

Mass hysteria.

[sampleSizeOfOne]

32 minutes ago, RpR said:

Why was Jax pulled.

 

I don't know... did he only throw inside (hard not to pull the ball)

or did someone mistake him for one of my fingers and just wanted to hear me toot?

 

[HokieRif]

one step closer to the #1 draft pick next year.